Membrane electrode assembly for use in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell

Abstract

The present invention provides a membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell which assembly can ensure the gas diffusivity, the capability of discharging the generated water and the moisture retentivity, and can attain an excellent electric power generation performance in the gas atmosphere under a wide variety of humidity conditions. The membrane electrode assembly comprises: a cathode electrode catalyst layer 3 and an anode electrode catalyst layer 4 respectively disposed on one side and the other side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 2; gas diffusion layers 5 and 6 disposed respectively on the sides of the electrode catalyst layers 3 and 4; and intermediate layers 7 and 8 comprising pores and disposed respectively between the electrode catalyst layer 3 and the gas diffusion layer 5 and between the electrode catalyst layer 4 and the gas diffusion layer 6. The volume per unit area and per unit mass (pore volume) of the pores having pore size of 0.1 to 10 μm in the intermediate layer 7 in the cathode side is larger than that in the intermediate layer 8 in the anode side. The pore volume of the intermediate layer 7 in the cathode side is 1.7 to 4.3 μl/cm2/mg and that of the intermediate layer 8 in the anode side is 0.5 to 1.4 μl/cm2/mg. The intermediate layers 7 and 8 are each formed of a water-repellent resin comprising an electrically conducting particle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view illustrating a configuration of a membrane electrode assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view illustrating a configuration of a fuel cell using the membrane electrode assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows graphs each presenting the relation between the volume of the pores and the terminal voltage in the membrane electrode assembly of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 shows graphs each presenting the relation between the volume of the pores and the terminal voltage in the membrane electrode assembly of the present invention.

Claims

1. A membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the membrane electrode assembly comprising: a solid polymer electrolyte membrane having proton conductivity;a cathode electrode catalyst layer disposed on one side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane;an anode electrode catalyst layer disposed on the other side of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane;two gas diffusion layers disposed on a side of the cathode electrode catalyst layer and a side of the anode electrode catalyst layer, respectively, with the sides facing away from the solid polymer electrolyte membrane;wherein the membrane electrode assembly comprises two intermediate layers comprising pores and disposed respectively between one of the electrode catalyst layers and the gas diffusion layer pairing therewith and between the other of the electrode catalyst layers and the gas diffusion layer paring therewith, and the volume per unit area and per unit mass of the pores falling within a pore size range from 0.1 to 10 μm in the intermediate layer in the cathode side is larger than the volume per unit area and per unit mass of the pores falling within a pore size range from 0.1 to 10 μm in the intermediate layer in the anode side.

2. The membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the volume per unit area and per unit mass of the pores falling within the specified pore size range in the intermediate layer in the cathode side falls within a range from 1.7 to 4.3 μl/cm2/mg, and the volume per unit area and per unit mass of the pores falling within the specified pore size range in the intermediate layer in the anode side falls within a range from 0.5 to 1.4 μl/cm2/mg.

3. The membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein each of the intermediate layers is formed of a water-repellent resin comprising an electrically conducting particle.

4. The membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein each of the intermediate layers is formed by coating the gas diffusion layer in the same electrode side as the concerned intermediate layer with a paste obtained by mixing an electrically conducting agent having pore formability with the water-repellent resin and an organic solvent and by thereafter heat treating the coated layer.

5. The membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein each of the intermediate layers partially penetrates into the gas diffusion layer abutting thereto.

6. The membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the electrically conducting agent having pore formability comprises both or any one of a vapor-grown carbon and a carbon powder having both electron conductivity and pore formability.

7. The membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the electrically conducting agent having pore formability is a mixture comprising a vapor-grown carbon and a polymethylmethacrylate bead.

8. The membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the water-repellent resin is polytetrafluoroethylene.

9. The membrane electrode assembly for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell according to claim 4, wherein the organic solvent is ethylene glycol.